Apparatus for the assembly and finishing of sets of duplicating forms



BURGMER 2,839,864 HE SEMBLY AND FINISHING LICATING FORMS Jan. 20, 1959 JAPPARATUS FOR T AS OF SETS OF DUP 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1957Jan. 20, 1959 .1. BURGMER 2,

APPARATUS FOR THE ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING OF SETS OF DUPLICATING FORMSFiled June 10, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mus/via WM i 2",! 14 4.4

Jan. 20, 1959 v .1. BURGMER APPARATUS FOR THE 2,869,864 ASSEMBLY ANDFINISHING OF SETS OF DUPLICATING FORMS Filed June 10, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 5 P m m w il a z N 5 I g m I w NQ I III Q -RSBRKB8HH UnitedStates Patent APPARATUS FGR THE A%EMBLY AND FINISH- ING OF SETS 0FDUPLICATING FORMS Josef Burgmer, Wuppertal-Barmen, Germany ApplicationJune 10, 1957, Serial No. 664,556

4 Claims. (Cl. 270-52) The invention relates to arrangements for thecontinuous production of sets of duplicating forms or the like from aplurality of possibly printed webs or strips of writing paper and websof carbon paper disposed therebetween, which are assembled to form amulti-layer web which is thereafter cut, perforated or treated in anyother suitable manner.

In the arrangements of this type which are already known, the separatepaper webs are drawn off from supply rollers by means of pairs ofrollers and thereafter placed one above the other on an endless conveyorbelt, which feeds the manifold web which is formed to the furtherhandling devices. In order with these arrangements to guide together thedifferent webs of writing paper in correct registry, that is to say, insuch manner that the associated impressions and other signs or mark- 0ings are accurately superimposed, and in order to maintain this relativeposition of the paper webs in the multilayer web during the feeding andsupplementary handling operations, conveyor bands are known on which thepaper webs are held at relatively widely spaced intervals, for example,corresponding to the length of a form, by needles or pins which aredistributed over the width of the web and are arranged on a transverseslat provided on the conveyor band. However, these arrangements havedefects in various respects. 0

Inthe first place, it is disadvantageous that these known assemblydevices are only adapted to be used for a definite length of form andthe adaptation thereof to another width and especially length of formsis not possible r is only possible with difficult conversion. More over,with the known devices, displacements of the impression or even tearingof the paper webs can easily occur at those places which are pierced bythe driver pins. These tears are caused, on the one hand, by the factthat the driver'pins take up an inclinedposition in the region of thereversing rollers at the end of the conveyor band, the pins additionallyexperiencing a supplementary acceleration. On the other hand, owing tothe tensile strain in the conveying region of the conveyor band, it isposr sible. in certain cases for the paper webs to be stretched todifferent degrees, such stretching being dependent on the actual fibrestructure. 7

The invention, the object of which is to obviate the aforementioneddefects, follows the guiding principle that the separate paper webs areso spread out and laid one above the other on a conveyor hand, usingpairs of drafting rollers which preferably have a regulatable drive, sothat the webs, regardless of any differences in length, lie in correctregistry one above the other, that is to say, in accordance with theimpression or other marking, and maintain this position in the region ofthe working run of the. conveyor band.

An essential feature of the arrangement forming the subject of theinvention therefore consists in that the upper run of the conveyor band,the working surface of 7b which is formed of slats, or the like arrangedat intervals transversely, of'the direction of travel, has arrangedabove it a series of feeding means, each for each individual paper web,such means successively spreading out the separate paper webs free fromtension on the conveyor band, the one margin of the assembled web beingrel-easably secured to the slats of the conveyor band, while maintainingthe relative positions, which band thereafter feeds the manifold webwhich is formed to the other device or devices provided for furtherhandling operations.

Conveyor bands constructed in the form of a grid of slats have alreadybeen proposed for perforating machines or the like for feedingmulti-layer paper webs. The known arrangements, however, are not adaptedto be used, and are also not intended, for the assembly of a pluralityof individual webs in registry into a multi-layer web, such as isrequired for the production of sets of duplicating forms or the like.Furthermore, in the known arrangements, the paper webs were only clampedon the slat grid after the assembly into a multi-layer web, beingretained in a uniformly tensioned condition and fed forward. I

In contrast hereto, the essence of the present invention requires thatthe paper webs are laid on the conveyor band under different conditionsof tension and are secure-d in a predetermined position relatively toone another, which is independent of their individual tensions. This isrendered possible by the fact that the slats of the conveyor band arearranged at a suitable spacing from one another, so that the longerpaper webs can shift relatively to the shorter paper webs during theassembly.

As securing means for the paper webs, the slats form-.

ing the grid may advantageously be provided at their one ends withupwardly directed pins or the like, which pierce and thereby secure theseparate paper webs.

In order, when using such driver pins, to facilitate the detachment ofthe multi-layer web in the region of the reversing roller of theconveyor band at the end of its working, run, the separate pins arearranged, according to a further feature of the invention, to beretractable in relation to a supporting element which is associatedtherewith and provide for the paper web. For this purpose, each slat maybe provided at one end with an upwardly directed needle or pin whichextends through an opening or recess of a plate or strap of the nextadjacent slat, which strap covers the said needle in this position.Since these straps are still travelling in the path of the paper webshortly before the commencement of the reversing movement, they lift themulti-layer web from the downwardly traveiling pin as soon as theassociated sla't has commenced its reversing movement at the end of theconveying range. By this means, there is prevented a relativedisplacement, which could be caused by the manifold web being lifted offthe pin too late. I

In order to produce a steady and uniform feeding of the collected paperwebs and thus also to avoid a tearing of the holes engaged by the pinsduring the feeding movement, the feeding speed of the grid of slats isso adjusted according to the invention that it does not exceed thesmallest of the peripheral speeds of the drafting' rollers for theseparate paper webs, said peripheral speeds perhaps differing from oneanother. Furthermore, according to the invention, the grid of slats inthe conveying range is relieved of tensile strains, for

example, by a common synchronous drive for all chain reversing rollers.

The collected paper webs can be further handledin various ways:

If they are to be separated into separate sets (after bei'ngbound orstuck together) by means of a transverse severing device, then for thispurpose, according to the invention, there is provided a secondconveyorband or the like which runs with a higher feeding, speed and on to whichisguided the forward end of the multithe reversing rollers 12a,

layer web after leaving the grid of slats. The paper web at this pointis applied and tensioned, directly before each cutting operation, bymeans of gripper devices :which are also travelling and provided withfreely rotatable pressure rollers.

As a second conveyor means in this case, there may perhaps be used afeed roller of sufiiciently large circumference. The grippers, whichtravel with the same speed as the feed roller and are urged against thelatter with adjustable spring pressure, produce an accuratelydeterminable paper tension. Up to the point of cutting, the pressurerollers of the gripper roll on the up- .per layer of the multi-layer webwhich is still being displaced slowly forwards. After the cutting, thead- .justed bearing pressure is sufficient in order to move forward thesevered set of forms or the like so quickly that this set can be stackedor handled in any other suitable manner before the succeeding set is cutoif.

Thepresent application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication, Serial No. 345,129, now Patent 2,800,325, dated July 23,1957.

v The subject of the invention is illustrated by means of a number ofembodiments by way of example in the drawing, wherein,

- 4 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an apparatus forbringing together five paper webs to form a manifold web using pairs offeed rollers and for subsequently cutting the manifold web.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the feeding device of a constructionalexample according to Figure 1, but to a larger scale.

Figure 3 shows as a diagrammatic side elevation, to a larger scale, apart of the feeding device and the device for cutting the paper web.

Figs. 4-6 show as diagrammatic side elevations, to a larger scale, apart of three modifications of the feeding device used in thearrangement according to Figure 1.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a frame, formed of spacedlongitudinally disposed bars or checks 100, 101 having the bearings andguides for the various moving members. Arranged in the lower part -ofthe frame is a feeding device 9 which is constructed in the manner of anendless conveyor band and which runs over the reversing rollers 12a,12b. The feeding means is formed by two sprocket chains, which areinterconnected by a series of bars 13 which are substantially parallelto one another and extend transversely of the direction of movement ofthe band. At least the upper run of the conveyor band of the chainsslides in a fixed guideway 102 of the machine frame, so that theconveyor run of the feed device is moved practically in one plane.

For the purpose of driving the conveyor device, there may be providedtoothed wheel gears, such as worm gears 11, which meshwith acorresponding toothing of 12b. The two drives for the reversing rollers12a, 12b are connected with the driving motor by means of a drivingshaft which is common to both.

The result achieved by this method of driving is that the conveyor bandor chains are relieved in the operating run from the tension of thereturn run.

Mounted above the feeding device 9 are a series of 'pairs of rollers 7'which are rotatable in the machine frame. The shafts of these pairs ofrollers extend in practice parallel to the shafts of the reversingrollers 12a; 12b. The lower roller of each pair is driven from the shaft10, each advantageously by means of a worm wheel 103 which, in turn, maybe operatively connected to a variable gear (not shown), so that thespeed of the different rollers 7' one another. V Provided in-the machineframe above the rollers 7 are can be regulated independently of themountings for the separate supply drums 8', 8", 8",

4 8"", and 8"' on which are wound the separate paper webs to be handled.

The arrangement illustrated serves for the production of sets of formsor the like with five different paper webs, namely, three webs 6', 6"and 6" of writing paper and two webs 6" and 6" of carbon paper.Associated with each of these paper webs is a feeding device comprisinga pair of rollers 7, which serves to withdraw the corresponding paperweb with accurately adjustable speed from the supply drum 8 and spreadit out on the slat-type conveyor band 9.

The webs of writing paper are provided with an impression correspondingto the form to be produced, said impression being regularly repeated.

Each pair of feed rollers 7' also has associated with it a control meanswhich is schematically indicated as a drive assembly 104, which can beadjusted or operated in any suitable manner, such as by hand, or by asteering mechanism, or by a photoelectric cell, and-which influences theperipheral speed of the driven roller in such manner that of all thepaper webs provided with an impression or other markings, there isdelivered to the conveyor device 9 in a predetermined time exactly thatpart of the paper web which corresponds to the length of the form. Thiscontrol drive 104 for the rollers 7' may, for example, be of an opticaltype, such that the beginning of the impression or the sequence ofspecially printed markings on the paper web are detected bylight-sensitive cells and converted into current impulses whichinfluence the gearing provided in the drive of the rollers 7', that isto say, maintain the peripheral speed of the rollers 7 constant or varysuch speed.

Instead of an optical control means for the rollers '7', it is alsopossible to provide other means, for example, wheels fitted withdetector pins, which pins engage -in a continuous perforation of thepaper webs, the regulating gear of the rollers 7 being influencedaccording to the speed of the wheel.

In order to adjust the rollers independently of human hands,photoelectric cells 105 may be provided which register the passing ofthe markings, identifying the beginning of the form, as each of the websis fed between its associated pair of rollers. This operation must takeplace simultaneously on all the paper tracks since, if one track is outof operation because of lengthening or shortening, the marking appearsin the photoelectric cell earlier or later than in the rest of thecells. As a result of this, the steering impulse is released and istransmitted to the adjustable drive assembly 104, so as to produce anadjustment movement which is indicated in Figure 1 by the lines 106.

As a result of these arrangements, which are known per se to personsskilled in the art, the result is obtained that the associated paper webis so laid on the conveyor band by the rollers 7 that the beginning ofeach form or impression in all the paper webs are exactly superimposed,independently of the actual length of the impression in each web. Forexample, if the web 6" of writing paper has stretched somewhat after theprinting or the impression was not effected exactly in agreement withthe impression on the other webs 6', 6"" of writing paper, the threewebs of paper are nevertheless placed one above the other on theconveyor band in correct registry with the arrangement which has beendescribed, because the rotation of the feed rollers 7' is controlled independence on the return of marks or the like arranged at a certainposition on each set of forms. For this purpose, there is preferablyemployed a transverse line, for example, at the beginning of each formin all form sets is exactly superimposed. Any well known and suitablemeans for insuring proper registry of the webs, when fed to theconveyor, may be provided, such as disclosed in the Stevenson Patent1,594,761 and aseasea German Patents 491,963, 621,761, 682,295, and619,574, each of which shows means for perfect feeding the webs inregistry and may be associated with the present invention formaintaining the proper registry of all paper webs when assembled on theconveyor and brought together to form a ma l As will be seen from Figure1, the paper webs 6' on the rollers 7 are successively delivered to theconveyor device 9, so that a multi-layer band is formed. In order thatthe individual paper webs do not change their position after beingdeposited on the conveyor device, needles or pins 14 are provided at theone ends of the bars or sla s 3. h h Pins per ate a t m r h p p r websdelivered by the rollers 7 In the arrangement illustrated, therefore,first of all the paper web 6 fed by the rollers is perforated andretained by the pins 14 of the slats 13, then the paper Web 6" which isplaced on the paper web 6' by means of the rollers 7", thereafter thepaper webs 6" and 6", and finally the paper web 6', all paper webs beingaccurately retained in that position and extent which is determined bythe peripheral speed of the rollers 7.

The individual paper webs therefore do not lie absolutely fiat one abovethe other on the conveyor band 9, but one or other web can lie in moreor less corrugated form, the space between the bars or slats 13permitting a shifting of the lower webs.

Inpractical operation, the corrugated disposition of the paper webs canusually be recognised by the fact that one web is more stronglytensioned and the other web is less strongly tensioned.

In order that the paper webs are not torn by the pin 14 with thisarrangement, the feeding speed of the conveyor band is always selectedto be equal to the peripheral speed of the roller 7' travelling at theslowest speed,

whichmeans that the paper web delivered by the rolier running at theslowest speed is in practice spread out flat on the conveyor band 9.

The driver pins 14 of the bars 13 are so arranged in accordance with theinvention that they are quickly separated from the paper web uponrunning on to the reversing roller 12b, before they come into aninclined position relatively to the manifold web. For this purpose, theinvention advantageously uses the arrangement shown in the left half ofFigure 3.

Associated with each transverse bar 13, at the end on which the pin 14is provided, is a plate or strap 15 which engages over the bar 13 whichprecedes it in the direction of movement. The strap 15 has an opening orslot through which penetrates the pin 14 of the preceding transverse bar13. When a bar 13 runs on to the reversing roller 12b and then commencesits downward movement, the paper Web above this bar 13 is held by thestrap 15 of the next-following transverse bar 13, so that the pin of thetransverse bar which has commenced the downward movement is retractedfrom the paper web. In this manner, a tearing of the paper web isprevented.

Instead of the arrangement according to Figure 3, it is also possible toprovide other movement means for the driver pins. It is also possible inaccordance with the invention to arrange the driver pins in a movablemanner at the ends of the transverse bars and to provide means in orderto retract the pins from the paper web through the opening of thetransverse bar when the transverse bar runs on to the reversing roller12b, or just prior to this. With this arrangement, the straps 15 aredispensed with.

The manifold web assembled on the conveyor band 9 is gripped by the pairof rollers 16 after leaving the conveyor band, which rollers are drivenby a suitable toothing of the reversing roller 12b in such manner thatthe manifold web is carried forward at the same speed as it is fed bythe conveyor band. The manifold web then passes to a cutting device 17,which is formed by a blade rotating at adjustable speed, said bladecooperating with a fixed cutter 17a. The rotation of the blade 17 is soadjusted that the manifold web which is formed is subdivided exactly inaccordance with the length of the sets of forms to be produced.

The separate sets of forms which are cut off and which are indicated at18 in the drawing then pass to a feed roller 19, which is driven fromthe driving shaft 10 by way of the reversing roller 12b and the'toothedwheel gearing 21. The gearing is so adjusted that the roller 19 has ahigher peripheral speed than the feeding speed of the conveyor band 9.The result attained in this way is that the free end of the manifold webis tensioned shortly before being severed by the device 17, whereby asharp and clean cut is obtained.

An arrangement 20 formed in the manner of an endless conveyor bandcooperates with the feed roller 19, said device consisting of twosprocket chains, the links of which-are connected at certain intervalscorresponding to the actual length of the forms by rods 22a, 22b, 22c.Pivotally mounted on these rods 22 are two-armed levers 23, which carryfreely rotatable rollers 24 on one arm and guide rollers 25 on the otherarm. The rollers 24 bear in the region of the feed roller 19 against thefree end of the paper web or the front end of the severed set of forms,so that the latter is carried along according to the peripheral speed ofthe feed roller 19.

In the range of movement of the guide rollers 25, a guide member 26 isprovided in the machine frame, said member being so constructed andarranged that the rollers 24 grip and carry along the free end of thepaper webs 6 shortly before the severing operation, whereby the end ofthe paper web is brought, before the severing operation, to the tensionwhich is expedient for the purpose.

After the severing operation, the severed set of forms 18 is movedforward at increased speed, so that sufficient time is available attheend of the arrangement between the arrival of the separate severedsets of forms in order to take up and set down the separate sets. 7

Instead of having a severing device, the machine according to theinvention may also be provided with a device for perforating themanifold web at the boundary between the separate sets of forms, forexample, in order that the manifold webs can be continuously rolled andfolded in zig-zag form.

The feeding means shown in Fig. 4 comprise a hollow cylindrical drum 400for each paper web to be spread out in registry on the conveyor 9 havingpins 14 as described with regard to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1-3.In Fig. 4, however, one such paper web is only shown, marked 6a. Thewall of said drum 400 is perforated in such a manner that the openings401 are situated within the range of the paper web 6a running over theouter surface of the drum 4%. The drum 401 may revolve in suitablebearings (not shown) about a horizontal axis essentially parallel to theaxis of the supporting rollers 12a, 12b of the conveyor 9. A suitabledriving means (not shown) is associated to each of the drums 6a in sucha manner that the drum is driven at regulable speed.

The interior of the drum 400 is divided by a partition 403 fittingtightly to the inner wall of the drum and fixed in a suitable manner tothe bearing or supporting means of said drum so as to not revolve withsaid drum. The greater compartment 4114 of the interior of the drum isconnected at 492 to a source of vacuum or underatrnospheric pressure orthe like so that the paper web 6a running over the drum 400 is firmlyheld on the outer surface of said drum and is released thereof as soonas the openings 401 leave the vacuum compartment 404 as the drumrevolves relatively to the fixed partition 493. A usual roller 495serves to feed the paper web 6a to the suction drum 400.

According to Fig. 5 there is provided for each paper web 6ba simplefeeding roller 509 having registering pins 501 engaging suitableperforations arranged in the paper web 6b. As the feeding roller 509 isrotated at 7 a'regulable speed the several paper webs 6b (one only beingshown in Fig. 5) are delivered by means of the feeding roller to theconveyor 9,in such a manner that they are assembled in perfect registry.

According to Fig. 6 a single feeding roller 600 is provided for eachpaper web 60 and said feeding roller is arranged like the single roller500 (Fig. 5) in suitable bearings (not shown) and connected to drivingmeans as in Fig. 1, 4 and 5. Associated to said roller 600 there isarranged an endless belt 601 or the like fitting closely to the outersurface of said roller 600 and supported by rollers 602, 603, 604arranged in suitable hearings on the machine frame (not shown). The axisof rollers 602, 603, 604 are parallel to the axis of feeding roller 600.The paper web 6c entering the interstice between said endless belt andthe feeding roller is held by the belt firmly against the roller, sothat, on turning the feeding roller 600, the paper web movessynchronously therewith.

I claim:

1. A machine for continuously assembling a plurality of paper webs eachbearing printed impressions or the like which are to be accuratelysuperimposed into an accurately registered manifold form comprising anendless conveyor, including endless traction means having a series oftransversely disposed bars connected thereto, guide means operativelyassociated with said bars for guiding the latter in a substantiallystraight path of movement within the upper run of said conveyor,reversing rollers for said conveyor at the ends of said guide means,means for continuously feeding the separate paper webs on the movingconveyor in registry, so that the webs form a manifold assembly, saidmeans comprising at least one feed roller for each paper web, means fordriving said feed roller, means for connecting said paper webto theindividual feed roller in such a manner that the paper web movessynchronously with said feed roller, means cooperating 8 v with saidfeed roller to feed said webs onto said conveyor in registry, the axisof rotation of the feed roller being substantially parallel with theaxis of rotation of said reversing rollers, pins extending upwardlyabove said conveyor bars within the range of said paper webs forpenetrating the latter as they are delivered from said rollers to theconveyor bars and for holding said webs fast independently of thetension, and means at one end of said guide means for removing theassembled manifold form from said pins.

2. A machine of the character described in claim 1 wherein the feedroller comprises a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated wall, theinterior of said drum being divided by a partition fitted tightly to theinner wall of the drum, one of the interior compartments being connectedto a source of vacuum in such a manner that the paper web is firmly heldon the outer surface of the drum.

3. A machine of the character described in claim 1 wherein the feedroller rotating at a regulable speed comprises registering pins engagingsuitable perforations arranged in the paper web.

4. A machine of the character described in claim 1 in which the feedroller co-acts with an endless belt fitting closely to the outer surfaceof said roller in such a manner that the paper web is held against theroller and moves synchronously therewith, said endless belt beingsupported by rollers having their axes substantially parallel to theaxis of the feed roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,594,761 Stevenson Aug. 3, 1926 2,209,692 Fulk July 30, 1940 2,402,074Nield June 11, 1946 2,800,325 Burgmer July 23, 1957

